Category: London

Britain, History, Humor, London, Travel October 7, 2014October 6, 2014

Cambridge Part 1: Open Days

“Bottled, was he?” Said Colonel Bantry, with an Englishman’s sympathy for alcoholic excess. “Oh, well, can’t judge a fellow by what he does when he’s drunk? When I was at Cambridge, I remember I put a certain utensil – well – well, nevermind.”
― Agatha Christie, The Body in the Library

I’d wanted to work with The Collaboreat ever since I heard Bethany was starting it up, so when they called for post ideas with an academic bent to celebrate back-to-school season, I pitched profiling the best eats in Cambridge. This was not entirely without self-interest. I’d wanted to go back to Cambridge for a while and Jeff had never been, it was the end of summer, and we were dying to get out of the city and spend some time together after his latest round of exams. So, those safely behind us, we picked a Saturday early last month and found a train deal.

In the great debate of which is better of the Oxbridge schools, my punt is firmly in the river Cam. My mother got a degree from there and I’m quite loyal. I also hoped to to attend and nearly got in. A single selecting academic said no, earning my everlasting rancor. But, thanks to Mum’s example of dogged determination to get yet another degree a bit later than typically done, I haven’t entirely ruled it out.

As it happened, we could not have picked a better day if we tried! By sheer dumb luck we ended up in Cambridge on an Open Day, where many of the sites of the city you couldn’t normally get into (certainly not without paying) were available to the public for free. The colleges pulled out their best wares for showing off and there were chances to wander through libraries and chapels and grounds to our hearts content.

I have an unholy love of getting into places I shouldn’t. So…come take a peek around with me this week!

Britain, Freelance, Humor, London, Travel October 6, 2014October 6, 2014

We’re Alive

“What good is the warmth of summer, without the cold of winter to give it sweetness.”
― John Steinbeck

Minions, we’re back from our vacation…and already back at work. Time waits for no freelancer.

A holiday was much needed, I’d been perilously close to burnout on a lot of fronts without a break. Not that we got much of one! We did a whirlwind tour of London before taking in Salisbury, Stonehenge, Bath, the Cotswolds, and Oxford in less than a week. But still, it gave me a lot of room to breath and think and relax a bit. I’m still working on getting all our recent adventure photos in some semblance of order, but expect a lot of recaps here over the next couple of weeks.

In the meantime, I’m glad to be back in London, working on new projects, and seeing what turns up now that I’m refreshed and able to handle it. Summer came to a bumpy end, but I’m looking forward to A/W14.

In the meantime, let’s talk burnout. How do you deal with it and how do you manage when things (good or bad) pile up on top of you? How do you keep the overwhelm from becoming overwhelming? Shower me with your wisdom, kittens.

Britain, History, Humor, London October 1, 2014September 26, 2014

Tall Ships Festival Part II

“A ship in the harbor is safe, but that’s not what ships are built for.”
― William Shedd

Some more shots from the Tall Ships Festival around the Royal Naval College and the Cutty Sark. The day started out fairly overcast but cleared up beautifully by the afternoon and I got to enjoy the sun bathed history to my heart’s content. Royal Museums Greenwich had a naval encampment on its green to show some of the skills employed by the navy and river-side Thames dwellers who supported them.

Not quite Horatio Hornblower, but pretty nifty all the same.

Blacksmith.

Wool dyeing with natural and old school methods.

Cartography.

Call out the marines!

Unlike some of the other vessels, the Cutty Sark is not a small ship.

Lord Nelson is feeling serious.

Sir Walter Raleigh is feeling sassy.

Britain, History, Humor, London September 29, 2014September 26, 2014

Tall Ships Festival Part I

“A whale ship was my Yale College and my Harvard.”
― Herman Melville

I think that it’s easy for some people to forget that Britain, with all its history and wars and books and world impact…is a group of decently small islands. There isn’t a spot that is more that 70 miles from a coastline throughout the whole of the country, the sea is ever present. Plus through much of recorded history, Britain was covered with bogs and marshes in addition to being crisscrossed by rivers. In other words, boats and ships have been an intrinsic part of British history.

This is especially true in London with its prime spot along the Thames. It has been a major travel and shipping hub for centuries and if you take a look at almost any historical representation of the city, you will see ships depicted as lining the river with masts as thick as as forest. Though the Thames is a lot less crowded these days, it’s fun to get a glimpse of the city’s maritime history, which is why I trotted along to the Tall Ships Festival in Greenwich a few weeks ago.

A mix of historical presentation and street food, this sort of thing was straight up my alley and I ended up walking nearly six miles along the river to look at the variety of sailing ships moored so that visitors could have a chance to board and get a sense of what this vessels were like. There were also costumed interpreters and amateur naval enthusiasts parading around in clever and wacky get ups as only the British seem to be able to do.

What most people don’t realize is that most sailing ships were tiny, almost unbelievably small. Explorers and privateers circumnavigated the globe in crafts not much longer than a bus with about as much personal space. As a child I had some idea that ships were solid things but getting to see them up close and personal you realize that they are as much rope as they are beams and are quite literally tied together in a lot of cases. One wrong knot and you’ve lost a major function that could leave you and your entire crew lost at sea.

At one point, the British navy was virtually populated by kidnapped men and criminals, largely commanded by child officers who had purchased commissions, and funded by a prize system that turned almost everyone into privateers. It was kept in check by a system of legalized brutality and fueled with some of the worst food imaginable with a side of drunkenness. And it was a system that conquered the world, led to some of the most important scientific finds of human history, and kicked off globalization. A complicated history that deserves being better known.

Britain, Humor, London September 24, 2014

Bloomin’ Lovely

“A woman’s perfume tells more about her than her handwriting. ”
― Christian Dior

For years now I’ve been on the hunt for the perfect perfume. I wore Coco Mademoiselle for close to a decade and then, quite suddenly, went off it. But I remain dedicated to the somewhat dated idea of signature scents rather than a massive smorgasbord of perfumes to choose from. I simply like smelling familiar to myself and others and find scents to be easy ways to play with identification (I might keep a scent forever, alas for Coco, but I’ll definitely keep it around a long time). Currently I wear a Hermes perfume, Jardin sur la Nil. I picked up over a year ago when I clearly had adventure on the brain and the idea of an olfactory trip up the Nile appealed, and while I’m very fond of it, I admit it’s not The One.

I’m a snob, and I don’t like smelling like wearing very common scents–maybe that’s why I eventually got tired of Coco, come to think of it–but finding unusual perfumes takes time. Luckily I found a shop in Spitalfields that makes the hunt easier. Welcome to Bloom!

Bloom focuses on promoting lesser known noses and masters and stocks scents that you won’t be able to find elsewhere. Chatting with a shop worker, it seems that they’ve been the first to carry a number of brands and perfumes in the UK, a fact she seemed pretty darn proud of. As well she should be!

Often I find that perfume counters at malls or department stores all smell the same, a mix of the popular and expensive name brands they carry. Bloom to me never smells the same way twice; and trust me, I make regular pilgrimage. The stock changes regularly enough to create a purely unique bouquet that’s a delight to hang out in.

When I finally finish of Jardin sur la Nil, I’ve already picked out the runner up for my next perfume from Bloom. It will be months if not another year or two yet, but the shop assistants introduced me to L’Humaniste, a scent inspired by the French Renaissance writer Rabelais (so clearly I need to have it). I’m flirty with deeper, spicy, more cologne-y scents these days and it fits the bill nicely. It may not be the One either, but I’m having a lot of fun looking.

What do you think about signature scents? A lovely concept? Too old school? Not for you? An article of faith? Tell me all you wear and why!

Britain, Friday, Humor, Linkstorm, London, Weekend September 19, 2014

Friday Links (Gunning for Vacation, Edition)

“After all, the best part of a holiday is perhaps not so much to be resting yourself, as to see all the other fellows busy working.”
― Kenneth Grahame, The Wind in the Willows

September has been one of the toughest months of my life and I am powering through it for the simple reason that I have my first vacation in over a year coming up next week. I have been working almost daily for over a year now, including weekends and holidays. Occasionally I’ve been able to get a weekend away from my laptop or day off, but they have been rare. And kittens, I’m tired.

I’m also proud. I’ve gone from less than $100 a month to what WOULD be almost a living wage (if, you know, debt weren’t a thing and I didn’t live in one of the most expensive cities on earth) in less than two years. Not all freelancers can do that. But it’s absolutely taken a toll–on my health, my relationships, and my self-care. A lot of working for yourself is finding and keeping a healthy balance and it’s a constant learning curve for me. Long story, short? I’m really excited for my time off.

My in-laws are coming to visit and after a few days in London we are taking the party to the road touring the southwest of England. Updates forthcoming but for the next couple of weeks I’ve been saving up past adventures to keep you entertained. Here are you links and let me know what you’re up to this weekend!

Online friend and really incredible designer Bethany Grow has launched her blogizine, The Collaboreat! As the name suggests, it’s a collaborative travel and food site and it’s already lengthening my list of places to visit and nosh within.

Scotland will not leave the U.K.

New life goal: attend these.

Excellent Youtube video from The Brain Scoop on the history of the extinction of the Passenger Pigeon. I’ve been pondering on proactive vs. reactive conservation efforts ever since my trip to an urban beekeeping facility in London and learning more about the rapid decline of insect populations in Britain. We humans are responsible for the greatest mass extinction since the last Ice Age. Though a lot of that is fairly recent and related to our quests for more energy and raw materials, the truth is we’ve been negatively affecting other species populations for about 10,000 year total, which is sobering.

Ah, the great expat egg debate. Walk with me, kittens, and learn.

Holy hell. I believe in counseling. THIS is NOT counseling. (Side note, there is not a day that goes by that I am not grateful to have been born when and where I was. I recognize exactly how lucky I am. In another century I’d have been burnt at the stake.)

Writing is good for you!

The call for 10 books that changed your life that went around Facebook recently (and that I responded to) was pretty popular and the data miners who work there collated the most popular results. I haven’t read five on this list but need to!

Tumblr find of the week.

I am not well versed in American literature. Past the point of shame and well into the area of laughable. This new list might help.

Fore!

The 18th century might have been wacky, but I’ve always secretly been in awe of early 19th century headgear, of the Wives and Daughters variety. I would definitely have been burnt at the stake, both for refusing to sport those styles and for shredding my corsets in public.

A nice little update to the old riddle. The fifth graders, they get it!

Britain, Expat, History, London, Travel September 17, 2014September 16, 2014

House Guards and Horses

“It’s hard to lead a cavalry charge if you think you look funny on a horse.”
― Adlai E. Stevenson II

Meandering past Horse Guards Parade in Westminster a couple of weeks ago, we got the unexpected pleasure of seeing the riders and horses put through their paces. The Household Cavalry are made of of some of the most prestigious regiments of the British Army due to the fact that they are members of the Queen’s personal guard. Their history goes back to the 17th century and their museum (housed in the Horse Guards building), which forms the traditional entrance to St. James’s Palace, is well worth seeing if you’re interested in British military history.

The first hint that something was going on was the sound of hooves on stone.

Inspection.

The other half of the guards regiment (the Life Guards are in Red, the Royal House Guards and and 1st Dragoon, also called the Blues and Royals, are in the blue. For obvious reasons).

Of course, the men are only half of the stars of the show.

I was really impressed to see the riders actually on guard while on horseback. Specifically that the horses were tolerating the hordes of tourists butting up against them to try and get pictures without kicking them straight in the head. I was waiting for some kind of equine disaster, but the training the horses get is impeccable.

Britain, History, Humor, London September 9, 2014

To Arms!

“The age of chivalry is past. Bores have succeeded to dragons.”
― Charles Dickens

Specifically, the College of Arms. I found its location entirely by accident on a long wander one afternoon and spent the rest of the walk schooling Jeff on various assorted history. He was attentive but admittedly uninterested, so you minions get the lesson instead. Which you will appreciate, yes?

The College is one of the few remaining authoritative heraldic organizations left in Europe. It’s been in operation since Richard III and is charged with the keeping of records related to pedigree and usage of coats of arms. If you are granted a coat of arms yourself, this is the institution that would develop it and store the history of the family. Historically one of the most important tasks of the College was to mediate the legal battles of who got to claim and wear which coats of arms and symbols.

This is done in the fantastically named Court of Chivalry. But don’t get too excited, there’s precious little jousting. Like I said, the battles were mostly legal to resolve disputes about heredity. And if you know your British history, heredity can be ridiculously complex for something that held the entire system together.

For example, the head of the operation is the Earl Marshal, a hereditary office held by the Dukes of Norfolk. Though every single Duke has descended in some way or another from Edward I, there have actually been multiple creations of the title. The family that’s held the title since the 15th century are the Howards, who are the second most historically powerful and ranked clan of British peerage after the Royal Family. The family is also the most historically prominent Catholic family in Britain, no mean feat after the various Reformations, Counter Reformations, Civil Wars, and various Acts of Parliaments to limit Catholic rights. By an Act, no Catholic can become monarch, which is why we got the German Hanover family and all their various Georges in the 18th century. The government had to bypass 50 people with a better blood claim to the throne in order to find a suitable Protestant in George I who could not speak a word of English at the time.

Something that I found fascinating in learning more about the College (why, what do YOU do on the weekends?) was that contrary to almost universal popular belief, coats of arms are not technically held by a family. They are held by an individual or a corporate body like a guild. So if you think there’s a coat of arms associated with your family, bad news. You’re probably one of the many twigs on the family tree who isn’t entitled to claim it.

See? Interesting!

Humor, London August 27, 2014August 27, 2014

The local wildlife

“Anyone who believes what a cat tells him deserves all he gets.”
― Neil Gaiman, Stardust

We have a neighbor with both a dog and cat, named Buddha and TicTac. TicTac is a strange little beastie who is highly distrustful of people (particularly males, we’ve noticed) but who, if he thinks you aren’t looking, will come close and prowl about. He’s let me pet him a few times (Jeff generally gets hissed at), but mostly he just likes to indulge his curiosity. If we happen to leave a door or window open–necessary in the summer–we will look up at some point in the day to see a flash of fur disappearing around a corner.

We don’t mind it in the slightest. He’s an amusing character, and we don’t mind pretending he’s our pet since we can’t have one for a while yet.

Snapped from my desk, I heard a mew and saw he’d come to visit.

We shooed him away from this sort of business and he turned up his nose from visiting us for three whole days. He sat outside our open door curled up with his head pointed quite clearly away from us. We’ve now developed an understanding. The basketry and textiles are off limits, but he can sharpen his claws in the built in rug if he so desires.

His latest set of tricks has been to wend his way through any open door he happens to see. A couple of weeks ago, he curled up and took a nap in our coat closet.

Last night Jeff was studying in the bedroom after dinner when he heard a smacking sound and found TicTac investigating his leftover nachos. We shooed him off again but he went very grudgingly.

Gracing my desk with his presence.

Britain, History, Humor, London August 25, 2014August 25, 2014

Historical Headdesk

“Everyone loves a conspiracy.”
―Dan Brown, The Da Vinci Code

I was volunteering in a museum over the weekend when a visitor couple asked for some information about other sites of historical interest nearby. I started rattling off good spots and historic homes nearby and recommended Dr. Johnson’s house.
“Who was he?” the very nice lady asked.
“Writer and creator of the first notable dictionary in the English language. He and several of his associates were some of the great literati of the 18th century.”

They gave me a funny look but said thank you and walked off.

Which is when my brain caught up with my mouth to realize that while I certainly had intended to say “literati,” what came out was in fact, “Illuminati.”

No idea where it came from (unless it was implanted in my brain by lizard people/aliens/subversive entities of another ilk entirely). Well done, C., you have officially contributed to the problem that brought us Dan Brown and National Treasure.

Small Dog Syndrome